Solar collector having integral structure

ABSTRACT

A solar collector includes a radiant energy heat exchanging panel having two lateral tube, and a number of intermediate pipes disposed between the lateral tubes and each having a longitudinal bore communicating with the longitudinal bores of the lateral tubes for allowing the longitudinal bores of the lateral tube and the intermediate pipes to be coupled together to form a sealed working fluid flowing system, the lateral tubes and the intermediate pipes are made of synthetic materials and formed with a molding process for allowing the lateral tubes and the intermediate pipes to be easily and quickly made or manufactured. A number of fins may be coupled between the intermediate pipes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a solar collector, and moreparticularly to a solar collector including an integral structure havingno couplers or joints formed or provided or coupled between verticaltubes and lateral tubes for preventing or avoiding water or fluidleaking problems.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical solar energy collectors comprise a number of tubes or collectorsdisposed parallel to each other, and one or more ducts or manifoldscoupling the end portions of the tubes or collectors together forforming a water sealed working fluid flowing passage or system.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,318 to Pei discloses one of the typicalsolar energy collectors also comprising one or more ducts or manifoldscoupled between the end portions of the tubes or collectors, and one ormore helical baffles attached onto the delivery tube for increasing thesolar energy collecting effect.

However, the coupling between the end portions of the tubes orcollectors and the ducts or manifolds may have water or fluid leakingproblems occurred. In addition, it is difficult to attach or to securethe helical baffles onto the delivery tubes of the ducts or manifolds.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,059 to Ford discloses another typical solar energycollector comprising six evacuated tubes of the left array, and sixevacuated tubes of the right array, and protective rubber or plasticcaps attached to the end portions of the evacuated tubes for protectingthe evacuated tubes, and a fluid carrying system having two continuousmetal tube stems and branches joined and coupled together.

However, the end portions of the metal tube stems and branches arerequired to be welded together and are then required to be engaged intothe evacuated tubes, such that the typical solar energy collectorincludes a complicated structure that may not be easily and quicklymanufactured.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,326 to McAlister discloses a further typical solarenergy collector comprising a radiant energy heat exchanging panelstructure having a multiplicity of parallel passages extendinglongitudinally therethrough defined by a multiplicity of longitudinallyextending integrally interconnected exterior and interior thin wallsections.

However, the end portions of the longitudinally extending integrallyinterconnected exterior and interior thin wall sections are required tobe coupled or sealed together with couplers or fasteners, such thatwater or fluid leaking problems may also be occurred or generatedbetween the end portions of the multiplicity of parallel passages.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,150 to Lai discloses a still further typical solarenergy collector comprising one or more tubes disposed a reflectiveplate for accommodating water or working fluid.

However, the tubes are required to be coupled or secured or attached ordisposed between the reflective plate and the supporting mesh grid withposts.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional solar energycollectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a solarcollector including an integral structure having no couplers or jointsformed or provided or coupled between vertical tubes and lateral tubesfor preventing or avoiding water or fluid leaking problems.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided asolar collector comprising a radiant energy heat exchanging panelincluding a first lateral tube having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, a second lateral tube having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, and a number of intermediate pipes disposed between the firstlateral tube and the second lateral tube and each having a longitudinalbore formed therein, the longitudinal bores of the intermediate pipesbeing communicating with the longitudinal bore of the first lateral tubeand the longitudinal bore of the second lateral tube for allowing thelongitudinal bore of the first lateral tube and the longitudinal bore ofthe second lateral tube and the longitudinal bores of the intermediatepipes to be coupled together to form a sealed working fluid flowingsystem, the first lateral tube and the second lateral tube and theintermediate pipes being made of synthetic materials and formed with amolding process for allowing the first lateral tube and the secondlateral tube and the intermediate pipes to be easily and quickly made ormanufactured.

The radiant energy heat exchanging panel includes a number of finsformed and coupled between the intermediate pipes. The fins are formedand coupled between the first lateral tube and the second lateral tube.

A receptacle may further be provided and include a chamber formedtherein for receiving the radiant energy heat exchanging panel. Thefirst lateral tube includes at least one rib extended outwardlytherefrom for engaging with the receptacle and for anchoring the firstlateral tube to the receptacle. The second lateral tube may also includeat least one rib extended outwardly therefrom for engaging with thereceptacle and for anchoring the second lateral tube to the receptacle.

A container may further be provided and coupled to the second lateraltube of the radiant energy heat exchanging panel for receiving andcollecting a heated working fluid. It is preferable that theintermediate pipes are parallel to each other and perpendicular to thelateral tubes.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a solar collector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating a radiant energy heatexchanging panel of the solar collector;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view illustrating a portion ofthe radiant energy heat exchanging panel of the solar collector, inwhich a portion of the radiant energy heat exchanging panel has been cutoff for showing an inner structure of the radiant energy heat exchangingpanel; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view similar to FIG. 3,illustrating the other portion of the radiant energy heat exchangingpanel of the solar collector, in which a portion of the radiant energyheat exchanging panel has also been cut off for showing an innerstructure of the radiant energy heat exchanging panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, a solar collector 1in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing orreceptacle 10 including a chamber 11 formed therein for receiving aradiant energy heat exchanging panel 30, and a container 50 coupled tothe radiant energy heat exchanging panel 30 for receiving or collectingthe heated water or working fluid and for supplying the heated water orworking fluid to the required places or facilities (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the radiant energy heat exchanging panel 30includes a lower or first lateral tube 31 having a longitudinal bore 32formed therein, an upper or second lateral tube 33 also having alongitudinal bore 34 formed therein, and a number of vertical orintermediate pipes 35 disposed between the lower or first lateral tube31 and the upper or second lateral tube 33 and preferably perpendicularto the lower or first lateral tube 31 and the upper or second lateraltube 33.

The vertical or intermediate pipes 35 each also include a longitudinalbore 36 formed therein and intersecting or communicating with thelongitudinal bore 32 of the lower or first lateral tube 31 (FIG. 3) andthe longitudinal bore 34 of the upper or second lateral tube 33 (FIG. 4)for allowing the longitudinal bore 32 of the lower or first lateral tube31 and the longitudinal bore 34 of the upper or second lateral tube 33and the longitudinal bores 36 of the vertical or intermediate pipes 35to be coupled together to form a sealed working fluid flowing passage orsystem 80.

It is to be noted that the lower or first lateral tube 31 and the upperor second lateral tube 33 and the vertical or intermediate pipes 35 maybe made of rubber or plastic or synthetic materials and may be formed orsecured or coupled together with such as a blowing and/or moldingprocess for allowing the lower or first lateral tube 31 and the upper orsecond lateral tube 33 and the vertical or intermediate pipes 35 to beeasily and quickly made or manufactured with a greatly decreasedmanufacturing cost and with a greatly increased competition.

In addition, no coupling portions or welding portions will formedbetween the lower or first lateral tube 31 and the upper or secondlateral tube 33 and the vertical or intermediate pipes 35 such that nowater or fluid leaking problems will be generated or occurred betweenthe lower or first lateral tube 31 and the upper or second lateral tube33 and the vertical or intermediate pipes 35, and such that the radiantenergy heat exchanging panel 30 may include a solid or integralstructure having no couplers or joints formed or provided or coupledbetween the vertical or intermediate pipes 35 and the lower or firstlateral tube 31 and the upper or second lateral tube 33.

It is further to be noted that the water or working fluid may be heatedand expanded or cooled and shrunk, and the solid or integral couplingbetween the vertical or intermediate pipes 35 and the lower or firstlateral tube 31 and the upper or second lateral tube 33 will not beaffected by the water or working fluid. It is preferable that theradiant energy heat exchanging panel 30 further includes a number offlaps or fins 37 (FIG. 4) formed or secured or coupled between thevertical or intermediate pipes 35 and/or the lower or first lateral tube31 and the upper or second lateral tube 33 and the vertical orintermediate pipes 35 for increasing the solar energy collecting effect.

The lower or first lateral tube 31 may include one or more ends or ports38 for coupling to a cold water or working fluid reservoir (not shown)for receiving the cold water or working fluid and for allowing the coldwater or working fluid to flow into longitudinal bore 32 of the lower orfirst lateral tube 31 and then into the longitudinal bores 36 of thevertical or intermediate pipes 35, and then into the longitudinal bore34 of the upper or second lateral tube 33.

The upper or second lateral tube 33 may include one or more ends orports 39 for coupling to the container 50 which may be provided forreceiving or collecting the heated water or working fluid. The lower orfirst lateral tube 31 and/or the upper or second lateral tube 33 mayinclude one or more ribs 40 extended outwardly therefrom for engagingwith the receptacle 10 and for anchoring or securing the lower or firstlateral tube 31 and/or the upper or second lateral tube 33 to thereceptacle 10. The ribs 40 may also be easily and quickly made or formedonto the lower or first lateral tube 31 and/or the upper or secondlateral tube 33 with the blowing and/or molding process.

Accordingly, the solar collector in accordance with the presentinvention includes an integral structure having no couplers or jointsformed or provided or coupled between vertical tubes and lateral tubesfor preventing or avoiding water or fluid leaking problems from beinggenerated or occurred.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A solar collector comprising: a radiant energy heat exchanging panelincluding a first lateral tube having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, a second lateral tube having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, and a plurality of intermediate pipes disposed between saidfirst lateral tube and said second lateral tube and each having alongitudinal bore formed therein, said longitudinal bores of saidintermediate pipes being communicating with said longitudinal bore ofsaid first lateral tube and said longitudinal bore of said secondlateral tube for allowing said longitudinal bore of said first lateraltube and said longitudinal bore of said second lateral tube and saidlongitudinal bores of said intermediate pipes to be coupled together toform a sealed working fluid flowing system, and said first lateral tubeand said second lateral tube and said intermediate pipes being made ofsynthetic materials and formed with a molding process for allowing saidfirst lateral tube and said second lateral tube and said intermediatepipes to be easily and quickly made or manufactured.
 2. The solarcollector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiant energy heatexchanging panel includes a plurality of fins formed and coupled betweensaid intermediate pipes.
 3. The solar collector as claimed in claim 2,wherein said fins are formed and coupled between said first lateral tubeand said second lateral tube.
 4. The solar collector as claimed in claim1 further comprising a receptacle including a chamber formed therein forreceiving said radiant energy heat exchanging panel.
 5. The solarcollector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first lateral tubeincludes at least one rib extended outwardly therefrom for engaging withsaid receptacle and for anchoring said first lateral tube to saidreceptacle.
 6. The solar collector as claimed in claim 4, wherein saidsecond lateral tube includes at least one rib extended outwardlytherefrom for engaging with said receptacle and for anchoring saidsecond lateral tube to said receptacle.
 7. The solar collector asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising a container coupled to said secondlateral tube of said radiant energy heat exchanging panel for receivingand collecting a heated working fluid.